Tracking a stolen computer - Prey

[Hiller]

For stolen computers I used to push out Prey and I'd be able to get location, screen shot, camera shot. 

The location is always sketchy in terms of being able to actually track a computer, but the web cam pictures and the screenshots were great in terms of being able to get names and other reportable information for the police.

With latest systems though we need to give permission from the computer for camera access as well as screen recording access, which we can't do since it's no longer in hand.

I know I can firmware lock the computers and provide a message to return the device, but it's more likely the computer will end up in the trash than returned.

What is anyone doing now to track/recover computers other than locking and providing a message to return?

Again, this is after the fact... I don't want to have spying software on my student laptops before the fact (for various reasons.)

Thanks!

[andrew_nicholas]

Outside of trying to get a police officer to intervene with someone out in the wild, and then trying to prove your ownership if the device is off/they've removed branding, what would the actual recovery look like? I can't really see any work place insurer being pleased to find out people were taking it upon themselves to try and physically retrieve stolen property. So as long as the data is un-recoverable I think most would just write it off.

[Hiller]

I have in the past provided police the images and in one case they immediately recognized the person and arrested him (for the theft and other things.)

I have seen former students with the device and contacted them, if they are current students, we have actions we can take. (K-12 Education customer.)

I would not take it upon myself to physically confront someone.

If the answer is that there is no way to turn on the camera and screen recording through any means, then ultimately it makes me feel better about our devices as if I can't do it given the access I have, then hackers shouldn't be able to either (unless they trick the user into allowing the camera... which IS an option for me too, hoping they click "allow" when Prey asks.)

[ETI_Admin]

If you do want to run a script that skirts around Apple's restrictions on Location Services, I've been experimenting with one that was posed by JE Lockwood and posed on Github here:

https://github.com/jelockwood/pinpoint

This uses the WiFi adapter to collect WiFi mac addresses and strengths, then submits via Google Developer API to geolocate. I don't think it's as comprehensive as Apple's database, but there is no prompt to the user and no cost to use it at small scales.

[jonros]

This look very nice. Do you know if it collects any data from the Mac end sends it over to Google?

[andrew_nicholas · Accepted solution]

I believe there was a fault with TCC a while back that was patched that could have been exploited, but as it stands camera/mic enablement is supposed to be a completely user driven process. 

[Hiller]

Thanks! That's really the more simple answer for me.